We Are Called to Be Stewards of God’s Creation

Our church cares for God's creation in part through the work of the Green Team. The Team’s goal is to inspire the congregation to work with greater intention toward lessening our environmental impact through both individual and community actions. The church takes its charge to be responsible stewards of God's creation as a call to meaningful action for all of us, and the Green Team seeks to provide information and opportunities to support such action. 


That’s why the Congregational Church of Middlebury UCC is pursuing becoming a Creation Justice Church. Our involvement in the program will provide us with a flexible framework to help us determine the most effective ways to show our love for God by caring for the earth and its most vulnerable people. 


To begin, we have created a Creation Justice Covenant (below) that was ratified by the congregation at the 2021 Annual Meeting. Our next steps will be to explore ways to support environmental justice in the areas of theology and worship, the life and practice of the church, awareness and advocacy, and connection with partners to engage in this important work on broader scale. Learn more about the process of becoming a Creation Justice Church.


We invite you to explore our work further through the links below.

 

Join us! Contact Su Reid-St.John or Leanna Maglienti if you are interested in becoming a member of the Green Team.


our Creation justice covenant

From the beginning, God entrusted us as stewards of God’s good creation. In fashioning us in God’s image, God bestowed upon us the responsibility to tend to creation as God would: with love and a respect for the needs of all living things. In affirming the divine gifts of creation and our connection to God, each other, and the world around us, the Congregational Church of Middlebury, UCC, commits ourselves to this urgent responsibility. We pledge to increase our awareness of how the abuses of creation cause environmental degradation and human suffering, and to celebrate and support work that preserves or restores ecological processes that benefit all life. We promise to fight the injustices of climate change, supporting and advocating for those most harmed by its effects. Furthermore, as we confront this growing crisis, we resolve that these deeply felt commitments will be reflected in all dimensions of our congregation’s life and extend far beyond our church’s walls. In this way, we acknowledge and honor God’s glory and perfect intent.


New & Noteworthy

This Lent, Commit to a Plastic Fast

Chances are, you’ve done fasts for Lent before—maybe you gave up chocolate one year, or television, or even social media. This year, the Green Team invites you to join us in observing a Plastic Fast for Lent by limiting the amount of single-use plastic you purchase. Will you join us? To inspire you, here are some pictures of creative ways members of our congregation are using less plastic. Have an idea to share? Please send your picture(s) to sureidstjohn@gmail.com.


Get more information about the Plastic Bag Ban and Food Scraps Ban that both went into effect on July 1,2020. Want to learn more about composting? Watch this handy composting workshop webinar.


Measure your carbon footprint at FootprintCalculator.org, then click here to record your score.


Discover the most effective, non-polarizing way to talk about climate change with family and friends right here.

tips for a plastic fast

  • Reusable mesh bags

    Bring mesh produce bags to the store with you so you won’t need to use plastic ones (submitted by Melissa Bartley)


  • Buy in bulk

    Buy items like coffee, grains, and spices in bulk and transfer them to your own containers (submitted by Judy Jessup)

  • bring your own cutlery

    Ordering takeout? Tell them to hold the plastic utensils and bring along your own reusable ones (submitted by Melissa Bartley)



  • buy a bamboo toothbrush

    Next time you need to replace your toothbrush, opt for bamboo in place of plastic (submitted by Su Reid-St. John)

  • use bar soap

    Skip plastic bottles of liquid hand soap and use bar soap instead (submitted by Su Reid-St. John)

  • Paper wrapped toilet paper

    Buy individual toilet paper rolls wrapped in paper (these were 39 cents per roll at Kinney) (submitted by Paige Russell)

  • Re-use Juice bottles

    Instead of buying bottles of orange juice, choose concentrate and mix it up in a bottle you already have on hand (submitted by Leanna Maglienti)

  • Wash and re-Use

    Wash and re-use plastic wrap, plastic bags, and aluminum foil (submitted by Helen Wright)

  • Laundry soap in boxes

    When buying laundry detergent, choose one that comes in a box instead of a bottle—and get the largest size (submitted by Paige Russell)


  • Compost bucket liner

    Use newspaper instead of a plastic bag to line the compost bucket (submitted by Candy McLaughin)

Timely Tips for Greener Living

We’re facing a serious climate emergency. Consider these facts:

  • The five years from 2015 to 2019 were the warmest years ever recorded in the 140 years that NOAA has tracked global heat.
  • Thanks to melting glaciers and ocean warming caused by these rising temperatures, sea levels rose faster in the 20th century than in the previous 2700 years, putting up to 216 million people across the planet at risk of losing their homes.
  • One million animal and plant species are on the verge of extinction.

Sources: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), United Nations

 

But there is hope. Here are some easy ways you can help reduce your carbon footprint and reduce your climate impact.